


Brilliant

by Dragon_Lord



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 6th year AU, Christmas Party, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 12:55:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4522917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon_Lord/pseuds/Dragon_Lord
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Ron never dates Lavender, and instead goes to Slughorn's Christmas party with Hermione.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brilliant

**Author's Note:**

> Please review and let me know how I did!

“Ugh, I can’t believe I’ll have to get new dress robes again,” Ron groaned, tugging at his hem. “Fred and George just bought me some last year!”

“Maybe if you’d stop growing so much,” said Hermione with a smirk. “And stop messing with them! You look fine.”

“Much better than you did at the Yule Ball, at any rate,” added Harry, grinning. Ron rolled his eyes and swatted at Harry’s shoulder.

“I never did get to go to the Ball,” Luna remarked. “Was it nice?”

None of the other three managed an answer because, truthfully, the Ball had been a pretty terrible experience for all of them. Luckily, they’d made it to Slughorn’s office by that point. The room was very crowded, not only with members of the Slug Club, but their dates, as well as a few teachers. Some partygoers were merrily dancing to the holiday music that sounded as if it were coming from the very air itself, rather than any speakers.

The foursome squeezed past the cluster of people lingering near the door (Hermione told herself she was only holding Ron’s hand so they wouldn’t get separated in the crowd) and managed to find an open space near a frost-covered window framed by fluttering green curtains.

“Pretty crowded in here,” Ron said, looking around as if doing a head count. “Just how big is this club, anyhow?”

“Not this big,” Hermione replied. “Looks like they all got dates. Even McLaggen, and I don’t know anyone who’d go out with that slime ball.”

Ron snorted out a laugh and craned his neck upwards a bit. “I can’t tell who’s with him- she’s looking the other way. Blonde, whoever it is.”

“I heard from Padma, who heard from Parvati, that he was taking Lavender Brown,” Luna mentioned. Her spangled dress robes were attracting some attention from people around them, not that she noticed. In fact, she looked perfectly at peace, gazing around the room serenely. As the music shifted, she began swaying happily.

“Er, would you like to dance?” Harry asked awkwardly. As Luna looked at him with surprise, he added. “As friends, you know. Might be fun.”

The Ravenclaw beamed at him. “Yes, I think that would be very fun!”

Harry turned a bit pink and followed her through the crowd to the dancefloor. Ron’s eyebrows furrowed.

“They’re not…” But he wasn’t quite sure of what he wanted to ask and trailed off.

“I don’t know,” Hermione answered, looking just as befuddled.

Ron took two drinks from a passing waiter and offered one to Hermione. She took it with a smile.

“Anyway,” She said, sipping the drink. “It makes sense McLaggen would take Lavender. I’ve shared a dormitory with her for five and a half years now and she is every bit as conceited as he is. They’ll get along fine.”

“We should go to parties together more often, ‘Mione,” said Ron, smiling at her in admiration. “I never knew you were so good at trash talk!”

Hermione blushed and smiled into her drink. Before she could respond, they were jostled slightly by the sudden presence of Slughorn and his large stomach.

“Miss Granger! So glad you could make it,” he bellowed. “I trust you’re enjoying yourself?”

Hermione nodded. “It’s a lovely party, Professor.”

He smiled genially and turned to Ron. “Ah, I see you’ve brought a date! How are you, Mr. Westley?”

Ron frowned slightly as Slughorn clapped him on the back. “Fine. Uh, it’s actually Weasley, sir. Ron Weasley.”

“Yes, of course,” Slughorn said, but he looked like this was the first time he’d learned Ron’s proper name. “I believe I know your sister! Ginny, is it? Yes, wonderful girl. Produces quite a nasty Bat-Bogey Hex!”

As Slughorn chuckled, Ron grit his teeth a bit, evidently upset that Slughorn had remembered his sister’s name and not his. Hermione frowned.

“Ron’s the Keeper on the Gryffindor Quidditch team,” she told Slughorn with a smile. “He won us the Cup last year!”

“Yes, I’ve heard great things about your team!” Slughorn said. Ron stood a little taller at his words. “Dear Minerva does love to brag on her house, bless her. Says she herself scouted Harry out when he was just a First Year! Youngest Seeker in a-“

“Century, yeah.” Ron was grimacing again. Hermione was close to glaring daggers at Slughorn, professor or no. Honestly, as if Harry didn’t get enough attention, already. She tried again.

“Ron’s an excellent chess player too, Professor,” she said with a strained smile. Ron was looking at the floor, and Slughorn seemed distracted.

“Hmm, chess. No, never liked the game much myself.”

Hermione did glare this time, not that her Potions professor noticed. There was a long, uncomfortable pause until Slughorn seemed to have found his way out.

“Oh, Zabini!” He waved across the room. “I’ve been looking for you! Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley. Enjoy the party!”

Hermione gave a fake smile as Slughorn waddled out of sight and Ron didn’t look up.

“That man-“ she began heatedly.

“Forget it,” Ron muttered.

“No, Ronald, I will not forget it!” She slammed her glass down on the windowsill and crossed her arms. “What a rude, selfish, manipulative-“

“Slytherin?” Ron had a small, tired smirk on his face. “C’mon, ‘Mione, we already knew he’s practically in love with Harry. And… I’m used to it, anyway.”

Hermione said nothing but continued to glare in Slughorn’s general direction, shaking her head. Ron cleared his throat, ears a bit pink.

“Thanks, though,” he offered. “For, I dunno, defending my honor, I guess.”

Hermione sighed. “I don’t like it when people treat you that way. Like you’re just a tag-along.”

“Well,” Ron shrugged. “I’m best mates with the Chosen One. What’d you expect?”

“That doesn’t define you! You’re not just Harry’s best friend, no matter what others say. You’re a great Keeper, you beat everyone at chess, not to mention you’re brave and loyal and kind, and-”

“All right!” Ron held his hands up, ears glowing red, but grinning. “I get it, I’m brilliant!”

Hermione took a breath, looking satisfied, and picked her drink back up. “Good.”

After a moment of comfortable silence, wherein they simply observed the party, Ron held out his hand. “Come on, let’s find Harry and Luna.”

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to portray Slughorn closer to how he was in the book, where it’s much clearer that he uses his connections with students for personal gain. As much as I love Jim Broadbent as an actor, I feel like the movie made him a lot more innocent and likeable.
> 
> Also, I don't really ship Harry/Luna, so I was only gonna include them as friends. Then, I don't know what happened, but I ended up shipping it a little bit. Oops.


End file.
